Automatic bank machine for distributing rolls of coins

ABSTRACT

Automated teller machine for dispensing coin rolls, comprising one or more vertical coin roll (2) dispensing wheels (9), the rolls are arranged in chutes (10) radially disposed about its rotational axis (11). Each wheel is enclosed in a circular fairing (12) which comprises, in the upper portion, a window (13) for loading the coin rolls and, in the lower portion, a window (14) for dispensing by gravity the coin rolls. The lower dispensing widow cooperates with elements (19) for controlling a receptacle (15) for opening and closing the latter, elements for controlling the dispensing receptacle and elements (20) for stepwise rotation of the wheel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an automatic bank machine used fordistributing rolls of coins. This has the form of a kiosk having abuilt-in cash dispenser.

It has on its forward surface which is accessible to the public, meanspermitting the transaction such as a keyboard, a display screen or thelike.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art provides apparatus of this type for the dispensing ofbills or foreign currency, etc.

The document FR-A-2.333.305 relates to automatic bank note dispensers.The device of the invention comprises a computer associated with amemory and connected by a telecommunication line to a remote terminalcomprising a bank note dispenser. To improve security of thetransactions, the device is designed so as to avoid any transmissionover the data line whose detection might lead to fraudulent use of thedispenser.

The document FR-A-2.589.606 provides a self-service bank devicecomprising a cash dispenser. It comprises a kiosk enclosing a cashdispenser having a keyboard suitable for users, disposed in a forwardwall of the kiosk. The cash dispenser comprises a safe enclosing a cashdispenser and a money deposit device when the bank is closed. The kioskcomprises a movable portion which can pivot 90° so as to open the doorof the safe as well as apparatus for dispensing and deposit. The kioskcomprises a closed and safe enclosure for a worker who has opened thedoor of the safe to provide maintenance or cash resupply operations.

At present, the dispensers for rolls of coins are generally produced inthe form of a hopper which contains said rolls of coins. The essentialproblem with this type of structure arises by jamming between adjacentrolls falling by gravity, which can take place. This renders thedispensers rapidly unusable.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,245 discloses a bank machine which distributes rollsof coins. These rolls are disposed in bulk in a container, the rolls aremoved toward the outlet of the dispenser by rolling means. These rollingmeans are provided with chains, clutches, inclined planes.

This distributor is out of use when there is jamming of the rolls. Ithas all the drawbacks which the present invention seeks to overcome.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,732 discloses a dispenser of small light objectssuch as pens. These pens are disposed in one of several vertical wheels.The movement of the wheels is insured by the action of the user on arotatable knob. The vertical wheels are disposed in a plane parallel tothe plane of the front of the dispenser so as to have an attractiveappearance, the front panel being transparent.

All these devices are used for dispensing paper money, and theirconversion would not be obvious for money in the form of rolls of coins.The present invention provides a distributor for rolls of coins which isvery compact in that the rolls to be dispensed are stored in a minimumspace, similar to what is easily provided for currency dispensers.

Moreover, the loading and unloading of the bank machine takes placequite simply.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the present invention provides a bank machine fordispensing rolls of coins, in the form of a kiosk, including anautomatic teller, the kiosk having on its forward surface accessible tothe public, means permitting the transaction such as a control keyboard,a visualization screen, openings for insertion of a payment means (bankcard, bill or the like), outlet receptacles (distributed coin rolls,receipt recording the transaction conducted, coin changer) or the likewhich is characterized by the fact that it comprises one of severalvertical wheels which serve as a dispensing drum for the coin rolls,said rolls being disposed in radiating recesses disposed about its axisof rotation; each wheel is comprised in a circular cage which comprisesin its upper portion a window for loading said coin rolls and in thelower portion a window for the gravity dispensing of the coin rolls,said lower dispensing window coacts with control means of a shutterwhich permits opening and closing of the lower window, and control meansof the dispensing shutter and means for rotating the wheel stepwise.

The radiating recesses containing the rolls are alternately long andshort.

The width of a radiating recess is adapted to the diameter of the coinrolls stored therein.

The control means of the shutter are constituted by:

the shutter whose concave portion permits the reception of only a singlecoin roll at a time.

an axle of rotation of the shutter rotated by means such as an electricmotor, or a jack.

a skirt prolonging one of the edges of the shutter and having the shapeof a section of a circle whose center is the axis of rotation of theshutter, such that when said shutter is rotated so as to free the coinroll it contains, the rolls still present in the radiating recessassociated with the lower window are maintained in said recess.

The cage assembly and the wheel is inscribed in a vertical drawercomprising two windows coinciding with the two windows of said circularcage of the wheel.

At least one of the corners of the drawer contains control means for theshutter.

At least one of the corners of the drawer contains means for rotatingsaid drum.

The stepwise rotation means comprise a motor and a transmission meanssuch as gearing, a chain, a pulley, or the like, for transmittingrotation of the motor to the dispensing drum.

The coin rolls are disposed with their longitudinal axis perpendicularto the vertical plane of the wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are given by way of example and are notlimitative. They show a preferred embodiment according to the invention.They permit easy comprehension of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drum wheel.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section on the line A--A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view from below of a drawer containing a wheel or dispensingdrum for coin rolls.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section on the line B--B of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the control means of the shutter, shown inFIG. 4, when the shutter receives a coin roll.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the control means of the shutter, shown inFIG. 4, when the shutter distributes the coin roll it contains.

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the stepwise rotation means of the dispensingwheel, shown in FIG. 4.

Finally, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bank machine according to theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bank machine 1 such as shown in FIG.8.

This bank machine 1 permits the dispensing of rolls of coins 2, moreparticularly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

According to FIG. 8, this machine 1 is in the form of a kiosk having anincorporated automatic teller.

The kiosk has on its forward surface, which is the portion accessible tothe public, means permitting the public to conduct money transactionssuch as dispensing coin rolls 2 as a function of a certain sum insertedwhich can be given by the public either with the aid, for example, of abank card, thanks to the insertion opening 5, or by means of bank notesthrough the insertion opening 6 for bills, or the like.

This forward surface also comprises elements such as a control keyboard3 permitting selecting the value of the money distributed, as well asits quantity, but also a display screen 4 permitting the user to see atany moment the controls he has effected as well as the controls he musteffect. The screen 4 permits visualizing the commission charged by themachine 1 for the service rendered.

Other devices permitting facilitating the use of the bank machine 1 canalso be added without thereby departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Likewise, the outlet receptacles 7 or 8 can be provided either to permitthe reception of the dispensed coin rolls 2, or the reception of a slipreciting the operation effected.

The essence of the present invention consists in that the bank machine 1comprises at least one vertical wheel 9 serving as a distribution drumfor the coin rolls 2.

According to a preferred embodiment, the vertical wheel or wheels aredisposed perpendicularly to the forward face of the dispenser or bankmachine.

The rolls 2 are disposed as clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 with alongitudinal axis in a position perpendicular relative to the verticalplane of the wheel 9.

This positioning is facilitated by the presence of radiating recesses10a or 10b which are disposed entirely about the axis of rotation 11 ofthe drum 9.

Moreover, each drum 9 is comprised within the interior of a circularcage 12 which perfectly matches the external shape of the drum 9, exceptfor two windows provided in the upper portion 13, but also in the lowerportion 14.

The upper window 13 having for its object to permit loading in thedirection of the arrow F1 of FIG. 4, the lower window permits thedispensing of the coin rolls 2 in the direction of arrow F2.

Opposite the window 14 is a shutter 15, permitting the dispensing of therolls 2 present within the radiating recess 10a or 10b located inregistry therewith.

This is clear from FIG. 5.

In this Figure, the coin rolls tend to leave the drum 9 by mere gravity,as well as to leave the cage 9 through the lower window 14.

Because of this, and because of the limited space within the shutter 15,only a single roll 2 can find its way into the shutter 15.

This displacement takes place in the direction of arrow F4.

Of course, to reach this result, the shutter 15 has effected a rotationF3 about its axis 21, thanks to the control means 19 which will bedescribed in greater detail later.

The assembly of the wheel 9 and the cage 12 is disposed within avertical drawer 16 which itself comprises also two windows 17 and 18,which coincide with the windows 13 and 14 of the circular cage 12 of thewheel 9.

Control means 19 for the shutter 15 as well as stepwise rotation means20 for the wheel 9 are also comprised within the drawer 16.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the number of the drawers 16 can be variablesuch that one can dispose within the interior of the same bank machine acertain number of vertical wheels parallel to each other.

As is seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the radiating recesses 10a and 10b arealternately long and short, such that a maximum number of coin rolls 2can be stored by the wheel 9.

Of course, the width of a radiating recess 10a or 10b corresponds to thediameter of the coin rolls 2 which are stored therein.

The diameter of the rolls 2 is thus substantially less than the width ofeach radiating recess 10a or 10b, so as to permit sliding by simplegravity, no matter what the load, in the direction of the arrow F1 orthe dispensing in the direction of the arrow F2.

The control means 19 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are constituted on the onehand by the shutter 15 whose concave portion permits, as was previouslyseen, the reception of a single coin roll 2 at a time.

On the other hand, its rotational axle 21 is moved in rotation by meanssuch as an electric motor 22 or the like.

Finally, a last element of the control means 19 comprises a skirt 23prolonging one of the edges of the shutter 15.

This skirt 23 has the shape of a section of a circle, the center is theaxle 21 of rotation of the shutter 15, such that said shutter 15 isrotated in the direction of arrow F5 so as to free the shutter fromrolls 2 in the direction of arrow F6.

The roll or rolls 2 still present in the radiating recess 10a and 10bfacing the lower window 14 are maintained within said recess 10a or 10b.

The control means 19 are present within the interior of one of thecorners of drawer 16 and are thus comprised between the internal surfaceof drawer 16 and the external surface of the cage 12 which contains thewheel 9. Similarly, the stepwise rotation means 20 are inserted in oneof the corners formed by the drawer 16 and their space is limited by thepresence of the cage 12.

The position of these stepwise rotation means 20 is not limited to aparticular corner of the machine 1; this corner can be located in anupper or lower position, whilst for the control means 19, a lowerposition is recommended so as to facilitate the exit of the rolls 2 bygravity.

These stepwise rotation means comprise, moreover, a motor 24 as well astransmission means such as gearing 25, as is shown in FIG. 7, whichtransmits the rotative movement of the motor 24 to the dispensing drum9.

This movement transmission takes place with the help of a toothed wheel26 present in the rotation means 20 which comprises with a toothed wheel27, present in the drum 9, as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the gear ring25.

The toothed wheel 26 turns in the direction of arrow F7 which causes amovement in the direction of arrow F8 of the toothed wheel 27.

This movement is a movement which takes place stepwise such that theexternal opening of each radiating recess 10a or 10b is present in turnat the lower window 14, and then at the upper window 13.

Other elements can be disposed on the forward surface of the machine 1,such as an instruction panel 28, to facilitate the use of said machine1, or a money changer 29 for giving change.

REFERENCES

1. Bank Machine

2. Coin Rolls

3. Control Keyboard

4. Display Screen

5. Opening for Inserting a Bank Card

6. Opening for Inserting Bills

7. Outlet Receptacle for Coin Rolls 2

8. Outlet Receptacle for a Slip Reciting the Effected Operation

9. Vertical Wheel or Dispensing Drum

10a, 10b. Radiating Recesses of Each Wheel 9

11. Rotational Axle of Each Wheel 9

12. Circular Cage

13. Upper Window for Loading the Cage 12

14. Lower Window for Dispensing from the Cage 12

15. Dispensing Shutter Coacting with the Lower Window 14

16. Vertical Drawer

17. Upper Window of the Drawer 16

18. Lower Window of the Drawer 16

19. Control Means of the Shutter 15

20. Stepwise Rotation Means for the Wheel 9

21. Rotational Axle of the Shutter 15

22. Electrical Motor of the Control Means 19

23. Skirt of the Shutter 15

24. Motor

25. Gearing

26. Toothed Wheel of the Rotation Means 20

27. Toothed Wheel of a Drum 9

28. Instruction Panel

29. Money Changer

F1. Direction of Loading of Rolls 2

F2. Direction of Dispensing of Rolls 2

F3. Upward Pivoting of the Shutter 15

F4. Gravity Discharge of a Roll 2 in the Shutter 15

F5. Downward Pivoting of the Shutter 15

F6. Fall by Gravity of a Roll 2 From the Shutter 15

F7. Direction of Rotation of the Toothed Wheel 26

F8. Direction of Rotation of the Toothed Wheel 27

What is claimed is:
 1. In a bank machine for dispensing coin rolls,comprising a kiosk with incorporated automatic teller, the kiosk havingon its forward surface accessible to the public means including acontrol keyboard for permitting a transaction, a display screen,openings for the insertion of payment means, an outlet receptacles, theimprovement wherein said machine further comprises: one or severalvertical wheels, each wheel serving as a distribution drum for coinrolls via a dispensing shutter, each wheel adapted to rotate about anaxis of rotation, said rolls being disposed in radiating recessesdisposed about the axis of rotation of each wheel, each wheel includingcontrol means of the dispensing shutter, and means for stepwise rotatingthe wheel, each wheel being disposed in a circular cage which includesin its upper portion a window for loading said coin rolls and in itslower portion a window for dispensing by gravity coin rolls, and saidlower dispensing window coacting with the control means of thedispensing shutter which permits opening and closing the lower window.2. Bank machine according to claim 1, wherein each vertical wheel isdisposed perpendicularly to the forward surface of the bank machine. 3.Bank machine according to claim 1, wherein the radiating recesses ofeach wheel containing the rolls are alternately long and short.
 4. Bankmachine according to claim 1, wherein the width of a radiating recess isadapted to the diameter of the coin rolls which are stored therein. 5.Bank machine according to claim 1, wherein the control means of theshutter have a concave portion which permits the reception of only asingle coin roll at a time, said control means of the shutterincluding:means for rotating the shutter about a rotation axle, a skirtprolonging one of the edges of the shutter having the shape of a sectionof a circle whose center is the rotation axle of the shutter, such thatwhen said shutter is moved in rotation so as to free the coin roll whichit contains, any roll already present in the radiating recess facing thelower window is kept within said recess.
 6. Machine according to claim1, wherein each cage and wheel assembly is inscribed within a verticaldrawer having two windows coinciding with the two windows of saidcircular cage of the wheel.
 7. Machine according to claim 6, wherein atleast one of the corners of the drawer contains the control means of theshutter.
 8. Machine according to claim 6, wherein at least one of thecorners of the drawer contains the means for stepwise rotating thewheel.
 9. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the means for stepwiserotating comprise a motor and a transmission means for transmitting arotative movement of the motor to the wheel.
 10. Machine according toclaim 1, wherein the coin rolls are disposed with their longitudinalaxis perpendicular to the vertical plane of the wheel.